


Five Years

by Fmnds



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:48:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22608799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fmnds/pseuds/Fmnds
Summary: Sometimes, five years is worth the wait.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Five Years

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rosestone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosestone/gifts).



Year One

Draco glowered at the golden trio while sipping the biting amber liquid of the Firewhiskey in his glass. He swirled it around and took the rest in one large gulp, grimacing slightly. It was the one year anniversary of the fall Voldemort and the trio were being showcased at the table conveniently positioned below some sort of enchanted spotlight.

Draco found himself delighted that Granger appeared to be scooting her chair away from Weasley.

Year Two

Draco still didn’t quite get why the Ministry continued to invite him to this function. He didn’t expect he would ever be honored. The only reason he continued to show was to take advantage of the open bar. He was already on drink two and they hadn’t even made opening remarks. As he settled into his table, he did his best to nonchalantly lay eyes on the trio. His eyebrows raised when he realized that seated next to Weasley was some blonde witch instead of Granger. Draco's eyes traveled to Potter and noted that his date appeared to be the youngest Weasel. His eyebrows knit together as he attempted to spy Granger’s crazy mane in the crowd.

A sharp,“Budge over,” interpreted his search and he was startled to find that the owner of the voice was none other than Granger.

Draco was too flummoxed to do anything other than comply with the demand, as Granger settled in next to him. He continued to stare at her as she glared at him, then across the room at Weasley, before she blindly grabbed _his_ firewhiskey and shot it down.

Draco found his voice at that,”What the hell are you doing?!”

Granger didn’t take her eyes off Weasley across the room. Weasley appeared to be shoving his tongue down the blonde witch’s throat, “Fuck Weasley.”

Draco nodded and and signaled the waiter, “I’ll get us another round.”

Year Three

Draco comfortably settled into the now familiar assigned seat in the very back corner of the room. He had grabbed two drinks this year before sitting down. He still hadn’t made sense of the Granger situation from the previous year.Draco figured that somehow Granger and the other two had become estranged during the year and assumed the blonde witch had something to do with it. Draco found himself glancing anxiously around the room to see if Granger had arrived. Last year she hadn’t said anything beyond the initial, "Fuck Weasley". They had drank in silence the whole night in some sort of silent competition. Draco had barely been able to stand at the end of the night. He had been quite shocked when Granger, who had clearly drank more than him, strode off confidently without a stumble.

Draco’s eyes landed on the VIP table. It appeared to be on some sort of riser this year with some sort of enchanted floating glitter? Merlin. Draco shook his head and noticed with slight disappointment that Granger was sitting back at the table. She was a less than friendly distance away from Weasel and the obviously pregnant blonde witch at his side. Granger's head was held unnaturally high and she was pointedly angled away from Weasley. Weasley was repeatedly tapping her shoulder and Granger appeared to be getting more and more angry. There were red spots appearing on her cheeks and her hair appeared to be sparking. Granger looked obviously uncomfortable. Draco would later wonder what had possessed him, but in that moment without a thought, he got up from the table and marched straight over to her table.

Weasley looked bewildered at his presence and Potter slightly agitated. Granger didn't appear to notice.

“What the hell do you want?” Weasley probed.

Draco ignored him and gently tapped on Granger’s shoulder. She turned around, her face initially surprised before relaxing slightly into an emotion he couldn't read.

“I saved you a seat,” the words leaving Draco's mouth before he realized he was speaking. He suavely offered his elbow in her direction.

At this Granger smiled, Ron spit out his drink, and Potter’s brows drew so close together that Draco was sure it would result in a permanent line.

Granger rose, glared at Weasley, took Draco’s elbow and followed his lead back to his dark corner table.

She settled into the seat next to him and Daco slid his extra drink over to her.

“I’d ask why, but honestly I don’t even fucking care.” She slammed the drink.

“Weasley’s a tool and you are the only person who can keep up with me,” He gestured to her empty glass, “ this whole,” he gestured about the room, “ fucking charade is ridiculous and painful and just so fucking stupid.”

Granger grinned and Draco felt a slightly unfamiliar feeling in his gut as she declared, “I’ll drink to that.”

Year Four

Draco found himself looking forward to tonight. Granger had unexpectedly sent him an owl two nights before with a simple message:

Save me a seat.

-H

He had only just arrived when Granger strode in and made a beeline to his table. Draco was filled with glee as he watched Weasley’s eyes follow her with alarm. Draco did note that the blonde witch was missing and Weasley almost appeared to be pregnant. Granger flashed Draco a brief smile as she settled into the seat next to his.

“Malfoy,” she acknowledged and signaled a nearby waiter.

Draco glanced at her carefully set hair and tailored dress robes, “You look nice.”

She seemed surprised at the compliment and replied softly, “Thank you.”

He nodded at her and sipped his drink. He saw that Weasley was gaping at them and he waved slightly in response. Weasley turned a horrible shade of red and turned around. Draco heard Granger snort at that.

As the night drew on, Draco found himself enjoying Granger’s whispered snide remarks about different members of the ministry that were receiving accolades. Draco found himself enjoying her company more than he expected and looked for opportunities to draw out her laugh.

Towards the end of the evening, Draco felt Granger’s knee knock against his softly. He thought at first it was an accident, but then she sighed and pushed her leg against his further. Draco felt his heart flutter unexpectedly. She met his eyes slightly blushing and took another sip of her drink, pushing her leg more firmly against his.

Year Five

They’d exchanged owls throughout the year. Nothing of note and no mention of the leg cuddling, but the notes were frequent and familiar. When Draco arrived, he was surprised to find Granger already sitting at their table, a drink waiting for him at his seat.

Draco walked to the table and Granger smiled at him, got out of her seat and impulsively gave him a quick hug. He felt heat rise to his own cheeks as they both settled back in to the table.

“I really hope they don’t make a big deal with it being five years and all,” Granger said as she drank from glass.

“ Oh, I am sure they will.” Draco drawled. Granger rolled her eyes.

“ I just... I don’t want to go up there. If they call us and ask for some stupid speech...,” She mumbled under her breath.

“ If they call you, don’t go,” Draco replied.

“It’s not that simple,” Granger sighed

“I’ll make sure you don’t have to go,” Granger raised her eyebrows to that, shrugged, and then nodded. They grew quiet as the yearly presentation started.

Just as she predicted, near the end of the evening, a ministry official called for the Golden Trio to come up the podium.

Granger lowered her head to her hands. “No,” She whispered.

Draco didn’t skip a beat and as the crowd focused on Potter and Weasley rising, he slipped his hand into Granger’s and quickly pulled her toward the exit. They walked quickly into the atrium and Draco glanced around and then used his wand to open a closet. He quickly pulled Granger inside and set some wards.

Granger wrapped her arms around Drac and hugged him tightly, “ Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Draco chuckled and squeezed her back, “I only wish I could see the look on Weasley’s face right now.”

“They probably think I’ve been kidnapped.”

“They wouldn’t be completely wrong,” Draco chuckled. Hermione laughed and looked at him.

Draco searched her eyes for a moment and before he could chicken out, quickly captured her lips. Draco was delighted when she kissed him back passionately, pressing herself closer to him. They were lost in each other for what seemed like hours before Draco pulled back for a moment and whispered, “Next year, let’s just meet at a hotel instead.”


End file.
